Karnak king list
Encyclopedia
The Karnak king list was located in the southwest corner of the Akh-Menu Hall
. Composed during the reign of Thutmose III
, it lists sixty-one kings beginning with Sneferu
from Egypt
's Old Kingdom
. Only the names of forty-eight kings are still legible, and one is not written in a cartouche
.
It is not a complete list of the Egyptian Pharaoh
s, as other kings are known from other lists, but this list is valuable as it contains the names of kings of the First and Second Intermediate periods, which are omitted in most other king lists.
In 1843, French adventurer Emile Prisse dismantled and stole the blocks containing the king list at night, claiming to act "in the interests of France." He had found out that a German expedition led by egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius
was making its way up the Nile to Karnak. Severely damaged, it is now on display at the Louvre
in Paris
(Chambre des Ancetres.)
The list is divided in the center, and is numbered from the sides, toward the center.
Festival Hall of Thutmose III
The Festival Hall of Thutmose III , is located at the heart of the Precinct of Amun-Re, in the Karnak Temple Complex, in modern Luxor, Egypt....
. Composed during the reign of Thutmose III
Thutmose III
Thutmose III was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. During the first twenty-two years of Thutmose's reign he was co-regent with his stepmother, Hatshepsut, who was named the pharaoh...
, it lists sixty-one kings beginning with Sneferu
Sneferu
Sneferu, also spelled as Snephru, Snefru or Snofru , was the founder of the Fourth dynasty of Egypt. Estimates of his reign vary, with for instance The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt suggesting a reign from around 2613 BC to 2589 BC, a reign of 24 years, while Rolf Krauss suggests a 30-year reign...
from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
's Old Kingdom
Old Kingdom
Old Kingdom is the name given to the period in the 3rd millennium BC when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilization in complexity and achievement – the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the lower Nile Valley .The term itself was...
. Only the names of forty-eight kings are still legible, and one is not written in a cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
.
It is not a complete list of the Egyptian Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
s, as other kings are known from other lists, but this list is valuable as it contains the names of kings of the First and Second Intermediate periods, which are omitted in most other king lists.
In 1843, French adventurer Emile Prisse dismantled and stole the blocks containing the king list at night, claiming to act "in the interests of France." He had found out that a German expedition led by egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius
Karl Richard Lepsius
Karl Richard Lepsius was a pioneering Prussian Egyptologist and linguist and pioneer of modern archaeology.-Background:...
was making its way up the Nile to Karnak. Severely damaged, it is now on display at the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(Chambre des Ancetres.)
Pharaohs in the Karnak King List
The common name of the king followed by the actual one written in the list, in parenthesis (if known).The list is divided in the center, and is numbered from the sides, toward the center.
| Left side | Right side |
|---|---|
| Top Row | |
| 1. Neferkare | 32. Senusret III Senusret III Khakhaure Senusret III was a pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC, and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. Among his achievements was the building of the Sisostris Canal... (Kha-ka-re) |
| 2. Sneferu Sneferu Sneferu, also spelled as Snephru, Snefru or Snofru , was the founder of the Fourth dynasty of Egypt. Estimates of his reign vary, with for instance The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt suggesting a reign from around 2613 BC to 2589 BC, a reign of 24 years, while Rolf Krauss suggests a 30-year reign... | 33. Sobekhotep IV Sobekhotep IV Khaneferre Sobekhotep IV was one of the most powerful Egyptian kings of the 13th Dynasty. He was the son of the 'god's father' Haankhef and of the 'king's mother' Kemi. His brother, Neferhotep I, was his predecessor on the throne.... (Kha-nefer-re) |
| 3. Sahure Sahure - Etymology :Sahure's birth name means "He who is Close to Re". His Horus name was Nebkhau.- Biography :Sahure was a son of queen Neferhetepes, as shown in scenes from the causeway of Sahure's pyramid complex in Abusir. His father was Userkaf. Sahure's consort was queen Neferetnebty. Reliefs show... | 34. Neferhotep I Neferhotep I Neferhotep I was an Egyptian king of the Thirteenth Dynasty and one of the most powerful rulers of this dynasty. The Turin Canon assigned him a reign length of 11 years.... (Kha-sekhem-re) |
| 4. Nyuserre Ini Nyuserre Ini Nyuserre Ini , was a Pharaoh of Egypt during the Fifth dynasty. He is frequently given a reign of 24 or 25 years and is dated from ca. 2445 BC to 2421 BC. His prenomen, Nyuserre, means "Possessed of Re's Power"... (Ini) | 35. Sobekhotep III Sobekhotep III Sobekhotep III was an Egyptian king of the 13th dynasty.-Family:The family of the king is known from several sources. A monument from Sehel Island shows Sobekhotep with his father Mentuhotep, his mother was Iuhetibu , his brothers Seneb and Khakau, and a half-sister called Reniseneb... (Sekhem-re-se-wadj-tawy) |
| 5. Djedkare Isesi Djedkare Isesi Djedkare Isesi in Greek known as Tancheres from Manetho's Aegyptiaca, was a Pharaoh of Egypt during the Fifth dynasty. He is assigned a reign of twenty-eight years by the Turin Canon although some Egyptologists believe this is an error and should rather be thirty-eight years... (Isesi) | 36. Sobekhotep II Sobekhotep II birth name: Sobekhotep throne name: Sekhemre KhutawySobekhotep II was an Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty.He is known from several monuments, including a statue, several Nile level records in Nubia and from building works at Medamud and Luxor... (Sekhem-re-khu-tawy) |
| 6. destroyed | 37. Amenemhat V (S-ankh-ib-re) |
| 7. destroyed | 38. Nebiriau I (Se-wadj-en-re) |
| 8. Djehuti Djehuti Djehuti, Djehuty or Thuty was a pharaoh of Ancient Egypt dating to the Second Intermediate period. Djehuti's prenomen, Sekhemre Sementawy, means "The Power of Re who Establishes the Two Lands."... (Sekhem-re-semen-tawy) | 39. ...kau(re) |
| Second Row | |
| 9. destroyed | 40. destroyed |
| 10. Intef | 41. Neferhotep II (Mer-sekhem-re) |
| 11. In... | 42. Sobekhotep VII (Mer-kau-re) |
| 12. Men... | 43. Sobekhotep VIII Sobekhotep VIII Sekhemre Susertawi Sobekhotep VIII was an Egyptian king during the 16th or 17th Theban dynasty of Egypt and is believed to be the successor of Djehuti according to Kim Ryholt. He reigned over Upper Egypt during the time of the Hyksos conquest of Memphis and Lower Egypt... ? (Se-user-tawy) |
| 13. Intef | 44. ...re |
| 14. Teti? | 45. Senefer..re |
| 15. Pepi | 46. Sobekhotep V Sobekhotep V Sobekhotep V was an Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty. His birth name was Sobekhotep, and his throne name was MerhotepreSobekhotep V appears in the Turin King List as the successor of Sobekhotep IV. According to this document, he only reigned for four years. Sobekhotep IV was perhaps his father, as... (Kha-hotep-re) |
| 16. Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I was the fourth king of the Sixth dynasty of Egypt. His nomen, theophorically referring to Nemty, was formerly read as Antyemsaf, a reading now known to be incorrect.- Biography :... ? (Mer-en-re) | 47. Sobekhotep I Sobekhotep I Sobekhotep I was an Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty.-Evidence:He appears in the Turin King List as Sobekhotep and is otherwise mainly known from reliefs coming from a chapel set up in Abydos and from a fragment of a column. His reign was most likely only very short... (Kha-ankh-re) |
| Third Row | |
| 17. Amenemhat I Amenemhat I Amenemhat I, also Amenemhet I, was the first ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty . He ruled from 1991 BC to 1962 BC... (Se-hotep-ib-re) | 48. Wahkhaure |
| 18. Amenemhat II Amenemhat II Nubkhaure Amenemhat II was the third pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Not much is known about his reign. He ruled Egypt for 35 years from 1929 BC to 1895 BC and was the son of Senusret I through the latter's chief wife, Queen Nefru. His queen is not known; although recently a... (Nebu-ka-re) | 49. Senebmiu (Se-wah-en-re) |
| 19. destroyed | 50. Sobekhotep VI Sobekhotep VI Sobekhotep VI was an Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty. His birth name was Sobekhotep, and his throne name was Khahotepre. -External links:* from Digital Egypt... (Mer-hotep-re) |
| 20. destroyed | 51. Wegaf Wegaf Khutawyre Wegaf was an Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty who is known from several sources, including a stelae and statues. There is a general known from a scarab with the same name who is perhaps identical with this king.... (Khu-tawi-re) |
| 21. Amenemhat IV Amenemhat IV Amenemhat IV, or Amenemhet IV was Pharaoh of Egypt, likely ruling between ca. 1815 BC and ca. 1806 BC. He served first as the junior coregent of Amenemhat III and completed the latter's temple at Medinet Maadi, which is "the only intact temple still existing from the Middle Kingdom" according to... (Maa-khe-ru-re) | 52. destroyed |
| 22. Sobekneferu Sobekneferu Sobekneferu was an Egyptian pharaoh of the twelfth dynasty. Her name meant "the beauty of Sobek." She was the daughter of Pharaoh Amenemhat III. Manetho states she also was the sister of Amenemhat IV, but this claim is unproven. Sobekneferu had an older sister named Nefruptah who may have been... | 53. destroyed |
| 23. Intef | 54. Rahotep Rahotep Rahotep was an Egyptian king who reigned during the Second Intermediate Period, when Egypt was ruled by multiple kings. Kim Ryholt, in his book The Political Situation in Egypt, suggests that Rahotep was the first king of the 17th Dynasty. Rahotep is well known from a stele found at Koptos... (Sekhem-re-wah-khau) |
| Bottom Row | |
| 24. Senusret I Senusret I Senusret I was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1971 BC to 1926 BC, and was one of the most powerful kings of this Dynasty. He was the son of Amenemhat I and his wife Nefertitanen. His wife and sister was Neferu. She was also the mother of the successor Amenemhat II... (Kheper-ka-re) | 55. ...re |
| 25. Seqenenre Tao II (Se-qen-en-re) | 56. Senefer..re |
| 26. Senakhtenre Tao I (Se-nakht-en-re) | 57. Sewadj..re |
| 27. Bebiankh (Se-user-en-re) | 58. Sekhem..re |
| 28. Nubkheperre Intef | 59. destroyed |
| 29. Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep II Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II was a Pharaoh of the 11th dynasty, the son of Intef III of Egypt and a minor queen called Iah. His own wife was the 'king's mother' Tem. Other wives were Neferu and several secondary wives, one or more who it has been suggested were possibly Nubian, buried in his... (Neb-hetep-re) | 60. destroyed |
| 30. Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep III Sankhkare Mentuhotep III of the Eleventh dynasty was Pharaoh of Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. He was assigned a reign of 12 years in the Turin Canon.-Family:Mentuhotep III was the son and successor of Mentuhotep II... (Se-nefer-ka-re) | 61. destroyed |
| 31. Unreadable | |
See also
- Abydos king listAbydos King ListThe Abydos King List, also called the Abydos Table is a list of the names of seventy-six kings and pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, found on the walls of the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, Egypt. It consists of three rows of thirty-eight cartouches on each row...
- Manetho king list
- Palermo StonePalermo stoneThe Palermo Stone is a large fragment of a stele known as the Royal Annals of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. It contains records of the kings of Egypt from the first dynasty through the fifth dynasty....
- Saqqara TabletSaqqara TabletThe Saqqara Tablet in the Egyptian Museum contains one of several lists of Egyptian pharaohs surviving from the Ramesside Period. It was found in 1861 in the Saqqara tomb of Tjenry , an official of Ramesses II.The inscription lists 58 kings from Anedjib and Qa'a to Ramesses II...
- Turin King ListTurin King ListThe Turin King List, also known as the Turin Royal Canon, is a hieratic papyrus thought to date from the reign of Ramesses II, now in the Museo Egizio at Turin...
or Turin PapyrusTurin King ListThe Turin King List, also known as the Turin Royal Canon, is a hieratic papyrus thought to date from the reign of Ramesses II, now in the Museo Egizio at Turin...
External links
- drawing from APAW 1852 from Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften